


Teaching Each Other How to Do Something

by BeccaBear93



Series: Prompt Fills [7]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Cannibalism, Cooking Lessons, Ficlet, Fishing, Hannibal Lecter Being Hannibal Lecter, M/M, Mentioned Abigail Hobbs, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29540412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaBear93/pseuds/BeccaBear93
Summary: Will teaches Hannibal how to fly fish. It's a bit of normalcy in the mess of their lives.Hannibal teaches Will how to cook. Will pretends it's something like normalcy.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Series: Prompt Fills [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2152002
Kudos: 22





	Teaching Each Other How to Do Something

**Author's Note:**

> So out of all the Hannibal fics that I've been working on for 3-6 years, _this_ is the thing that I actually finish and post. -sigh- Oh well, at least it's something. At least I can now say that I have a fic for my all-time favorite show posted lmao
> 
> ETA: This is the last of the prompt fills. If anyone actually followed them despite the jumping around between fandoms, thank you and I hope you enjoyed them! XD

Will teaches Hannibal how to fly fish.

Despite his warnings, Hannibal of course refuses to wear appropriate clothing. So Will can’t help but laugh at the older man’s look of distaste as he rolls his suit pants up to his knees, slips off his dress shoes, and wades into the water. There’s something absolutely absurd about the image of a barefoot Hannibal Lecter picking his way through the rocks and scowling like the entire world has wronged him. It’s one Will’s sure he’ll hold onto for years to come.

Creating the lures was much more to Hannibal’s taste, though he had to drag Will out of his own mind several times in the process. It’s easier, sometimes, to retreat inside his head. “Some places are stained now. People too,” Abigail had once told him. He’d understood what she meant even then, but it’s a more personal understanding these days. She just hadn’t mentioned that there were other things that end up stained, too—Activities. Memories. Emotions. His own hands, covered in the blood of too many people to count even when he scrubs them raw.

“Will,” Hannibal says, voice low but insistent, and Will snaps back to the present moment. No blood (that other people can see). No Abigail. Just him and Hannibal standing in the middle of a river looking ridiculous.

“Right,” he says, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a huff. He smiles, and even he can’t tell whether or not it’s real. “Right. So you have to use the weight of the line—” Will cuts himself off, tugging at the line in example before continuing his explanation, leading the other man through a couple of casts before they both have the lures where they want them.

Hannibal picks it up as quickly as everything else, of course. Once he manages it once, he’ll manage it _every_ time. He humors Will, though, lets him take him out for a few more lessons. A few more days of normalcy, or at least the illusion of it. And of course Will knows that _he_ _’s_ the one being baited, but… there’s no going back anymore, so he’ll take that illusion where he can get it.

* * *

Hannibal teaches Will how to cook.

With the fish they caught, at first. After that, they don’t talk about it, usually. He’s learned when it’s safe to push and when it isn’t. When it will activate Will’s predator instincts and when it will push him deep inside his mind palace. Besides, it isn’t as if Will doesn’t _know_ even if they don’t say it aloud.

He shows him the best cuts, the most complimentary alcohol pairings, the most eye-catching presentations. Because, despite what anyone may say, looks _are_ important, at least when it comes to a meal. Not the _most_ important aspect, but important enough that the presentation can determine whether or not someone even _touches_ their food.

It takes Will a while to catch onto that part. Not for any lack of skill, because he picks up the rest fairly easily. It’s just a lack of care, because although he’s happy to drink in the sight of a beautiful meal, he’ll just as easily eat it if it’s carelessly dropped onto a plate, so long as it _tastes_ good. Once he _does_ get it, though, it becomes one of his favorite things—watching a guest eye their food, taking it in with a small, pleasantly surprised smile when they compliment something _he_ put together. It becomes a sort of competition to him, even if it’s not one that Hannibal particularly cares about. He won’t complain, though.

After all, anything that gets that fire burning in Will’s eyes is bound to go well for him, or at the very least, provide some entertainment when Will manages to surprise him yet again.


End file.
